John,
Iagree with your gas tank placement. I wrote this up for Pickukps 'n Panels
in print, June 1998. I don't like behind the rear axle placement because of
FMVSS 301. "To pass the test, a vehicle's fuel tank must remain intact and
not leak more than one ounce per minute for five minutes following a 30 mph
rear end collision. The test is conducted by ramming a stationary vehicle
from behind with a 4000 pound mobile barrier." I concluded, for people who
insist on moving their AD in cab tank, to use a panel/ suburban tank in front
of the rear axle, inside the frame. These are currently available new in
stainless steel for close to $500. Maybe cheaper in plastic or plain steel.
I believe most people have ideas of safety that do not agree with conclusions
for real risk assessment studies, which the Fed safety std. addresses. My
article was against tank placement just in front of the rear bumper.
Bob ADler
In a message dated 8/26/00 11:50:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jrdorsey@strato.net writes:
>
> Bob, I would never challenge you on old truck knowledge, but this is out
> of that area and is about how vehicles react in impacts.
>
> For over twenty years I have been dealing with wrecked vehicles, and
> have extricated a large amount of victims both living and dead from
> mangled vehicles. In all that period of time I have only seen one crash
> that the victims Burned To Death after the crash. It was a 1 ton pickup
> with a fuel tank mounted in the bed up against the cab. They had slid
> sideways into a tree that impacted right were the cab meets the bed, the
> back window shattered and allowed fuel into the passenger compartment.
> The passenger was probably killed on impact but the autopsy on the
> driver showed lung damage from the fire. A witness said the driver was
> trying to get out while he was on fire.
>
> It would take less intrusion into the cab to cause a tank leak than to
> kill you instantly. Most fatality victims do not die on impact, but from
> shock and blood loss over at least several minutes. Even if a wreck is
> bad enough to give fatal injuries at the same time it releases gasoline
> I think spending the last few minutes of ones life on fire would be less
> than pleasant!
>
> The safest place for a gas tank is inside the frame rail in front of the
> axle and if I had a pickup that's where I would put it.
>
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